


in love with a fairytale

by baekjuhos



Category: SF9 (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, I tried writing something soft for once, Jaeyoon a prince, M/M, juho is a commoner, note the tried please
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-08
Updated: 2020-02-08
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:13:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22618420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/baekjuhos/pseuds/baekjuhos
Summary: Jaeyoon's family is invited for a celebration in the elf kingdom. He didn't expect to come across Juho.
Relationships: Baek Juho | Zuho/Lee Jaeyoon
Comments: 14
Kudos: 20





	in love with a fairytale

**Author's Note:**

> here's an attempt of me trying to write something OTHER than angsty sad stuff so...:+)

Juho had been in a sweet slumber when rapid knocking had woken him and his family up. He had barely registered the time when the door was kicked in and a bunch of men stormed inside. 

The moonlight illuminated the tiny house Juho's parents and sibling were occupying, even more so with the broken front door. The national guards were standing in the one room they ate and slept in. Juho had scrambled up, protectively placing himself in front of his still drowsy family. 

Juho was about to speak up when one of the guards harshly grabbed his bony arm. His younger brother was yanked towards him as well. Juho tried to twist his arm out of the death grip. His free arm came to hold onto his sibling. 

Juho felt weak as he struggled against the hand. He shouldn't have given his little share of food to his brother.

The soldier sneered. He let go of Juho's arm and reached for his hair instead. "You're going to come and join the military. Even if you're not worthy of it, disgusting commoner." 

With each word the guard dragged Juho towards the door by his hair. 

It shone brightly under the moonlight, the glitter dancing on his hair with each ray. 

"We have no use for that kid. He's too malnourished." Without a single glance, Juho's brother was thrown onto the floor, his mother catching him before he could've been hurt seriously. The terror was written all over their faces.

Juho had stopped struggling against the grip the man had on him. The guards had gotten the order to recruit any men and boys, no matter their status. That was the only explanation Juho could come up with.

The hard work on the field had marked Juho's lanky body. Despite them having a farm, neither he or his brother were well fed. Most of their daily harvests were taken by the royal family and the little that was left was often sold by his sick father. Not that they could keep much of the money. Once the taxes were cut, they had barely enough to cover for a week of supplies. 

Juho often shared his meals with his family. He knew that his brother especially needed a lot more to eat if he wanted to grow taller. 

Juho was brutally shoved into the vehicle. He silently gasped out after colliding with the cold frame inside. "Where-" Juho's sentence died in his mouth as the hand of one of the guards connected with his face, hard. The slap resonated in the eerily silent vehicle loudly. 

Juho didn't dare to look up. He stared at the carpeted floor with wide eyes, his hands resting against his sore cheek. The slap had caused some glitter to fall off Juho's hair, gently glimmering in the moonlight.

"Just because you get to play guard for a few months doesn't mean you get the right to speak, filthy fairy." The man eyed the gently swaying glitter with a sneer. 

They hadn't stopped at that. Juho had just hung his head low, still trying to sooth his aching cheek as the other three in the vehicle kept throwing around insults.

Not everyone could join the national guards. One had to be born into a soldier's or be from a privileged family to do so. People like Juho or his father were rather seen as the scum of the kingdom. Elves were cruel. They held tightly onto the classes. 

The ride to the castle was long and tedious, since their tiny cottage was almost outside the fortress. By the time they reached their destination, the sun had risen again. 

Juho had been denied a nap and he was pushed to train instantly. 

He was standing in line with about ten other young elves. All of them who had been deemed as unworthy before. He recognised some from the neighbouring fields. 

"Don't expect to rest. You have a lot of training to catch up. You will sleep when you're told to. You'll wake up when you're told to. You'll bath when you're told to. You'll eat when you're told to." The general walked slowly up and down, his tone cold and unforgiving. 

"See it as an honour to be chosen to support the guards. I expect nothing from you scumbags. Nothing but obedience. I'll not tolerate any of you slacking. The annual festival to celebrate the peace between our and the fairies kingdom is coming up and this year, our beautiful kingdom has the honour to be the host."

Juho's sharp, almond shaped eyes focused on the chubby general. He found it unfair, how people like him had access to endless supplies of food and water and clothes while there were families like his own, or the boys next to him, who had to ration their meals so they had enough to eat for the month. Where each rice corn was counted. 

The tip of Juho's pointy ears turned red in anger. He still kept a blank face. 

The following weeks were horrendous. Juho missed his family. He might be getting more necessities to live with, but he saw no point in them if he couldn't share it.

He thought of how beautiful his mother would look in the dress one of the maids had carried to present the elf queen and princess.

Juho thought about how noble his father would look in the guards uniform. How healthy and tall his brother would get if he got to eat what Juho did.

Sometimes he tried sneaking food away. He got caught once, which had entailed a good beating from the soldiers while the general watched. He only had stepped in when he felt like Juho had learned his lesson. 

Within six weeks he had been trained in combat and in weapons. Juho preferred to use the arch and arrows. His usually short hair had grown quite a bit over the weeks. He had no permission to cut them. They were now shoulder length. 

He tied half of his hair to a tiny ponytail, more so in an attempt to sweat less. 

His hair was bleached from the constant work under the sun and Juho had grown to like it. There were different colours shimmering through, like light blue or purple- depending on the light. 

Juho had been considered an abnormality since he was a baby. Elves his status usually had dark hair, dark eyes, sun kissed skin. Juho was jealous, of how easily his family could tan when he ended up getting sun burns on his pale skin. 

He wasn't supposed to shimmer. He wasn't supposed to have fairy like features. 

He remembers times where his grandparents had accused his mother of cheating, of Juho being an elf hybrid. Though his father knew they were all wrong, he never openly defended him. He would call Juho to him, late at night. He would tell him how they were wrong and that Juho just turned out to look different than everyone else- all the whilst he tried to light a fire.

His grandparents never really liked him. 

His entire life had been shaped by humiliation and chicanery. 

Juho didn't trust anyone. He didn't know them. And from the way they were avoiding him, Juho knew they thought the same about him as everyone else: a child from an unknown fairy, from a woman who betrayed their kingdom. 

"I know many of you applied to be our guests personal guards but we only could choose four."

Juho hadn't expected his name to fall. He didn't want to be here in the first place. And when he heard his name, his mouth fell open. To say he was shocked was an underestimation. 

It truly must've been a mistake. 

They had been standing in three rows. Him and the other ten commoners were thrown to the back. Everyone turned their attention to Juho, who was trying to make himself as tiny as possible.

"With all due respect, General! Why choose a filthy commoner to serve and protect the royal family? An abomination at that!" 

Juho tightened the grip on his bow whilst gritting his teeth.

"The abnormality makes him look more like them. They'll feel more comfortable if they have someone around who looks like them." 

At dinner, Juho had pocketed some of the food from his plate. He had gotten permission to visit his family. They probably wanted him out of their sight. 

Late at night he boarded one of the guards vehicles. Juho couldn't wait to see his family again. 

He held onto the tiny bag tightly, worried that someone would find the food he had bunkered over the weeks. 

By the time he had arrived, his family was already working on the fields. Juho had barely touched the vehicle’s door when the soldier who had accompanied him spoke up. “Don’t even think of doing something stupid. We hear everything, we see everything. And if you think your glittery sparkling mug will get you far, you’re wrong. Bugger off now.” 

He had spent a wonderful weekend. He never thought he would consider the physical labour on the field as something relaxing. Once Juho saw the palace's carriage pull up, he felt dread. Though he was living a great life at the guards camp with a constantly filled stomach, he ached for his family. Juho just wanted this to be over and done with.

The days before the festival were tiring. The troop slept little to nothing. Instead, they were up all day and night to train. They prepared for every scenario, be it as far fetched as possible.

Juho had expected a lot more debates about his new task but the guards surprisingly left him be. 

Soon the dreaded day came. He never got to see the fairy majesties. Low class people like him weren't invited. His anxiety was high, he didn't know what to expect. 

Of course there were rumours. It was said that they looked and behaved like monsters. It was said that they were tyrannic and the reason why so many of the elves ended up poor. If any of the rumours were true, Juho was scared. He was scared that they wouldn't like his service and order his execution.

The sun was glaring and he could feel the rays penetrating his skin. He was standing at the castle's grand door, waiting for the royal family to arrive. Juho saw the carriage pull up and halt right at the stairs, which had been covered with a red, thin carpet. It was shining brightly underneath the sun. The General had appeared next to Juho, all of a sudden. "If you even dare to look into the Majesty's face, I'll personally make sure you pay for your disrespect." 

Juho pressed his lips into an even thinner line, though he still kept a blank face. The General stepped away and made space for the royal family to walk up the stairs past the soldiers. Juho kept his stare straight ahead, never letting his eyes wander until they moved behind him. It was like how they had practiced countless times. 

Let them wave, walk, enjoy the clapping. Hold the door open, avoid eye contact and walk behind. Juho was already tired of it.

The uniform made him feel even hotter. The heavy armor was black, the cape he had draped over one shoulder had chains sown all over the cloth, which was held together a little over his collarbones with a tiny chain. The button where it was draped around was branded with the kingdoms emblem.

The pants were tight and sticking to his skin uncomfortably, the ironclad vest was suffocating him. As if he wasn't wearing enough already, his thin fingers were hidden in black leather gloves and the pants were tucked into boots that went up right underneath his knees. 

Juho had draped his quiver over his shoulder over the cape. He had been smart, unlike the others, and had handily placed his bow there as well. 

Juho wondered if his family had, at least from afar, seen him. He wanted them to be proud. 

The soldiers escorted the royalties through the grand foyer towards the main hall, where the royal elves were waiting. The general was leading the group at the front, so Juho was stuck with being the last, trudging behind the wealthy soldiers. He was attentive, noting every little detail, every sound. 

"Man, I'm tired. Father, mother. If you could excuse me, I want to rest." They hadn't even reached the main hall yet. Juho had never heard a voice as rich and sweet, yet deep, like now. 

"Oh Jaeyoon, my dear. What will our hosts think if the crown prince is absent the very first time we will see them?" It must've been the queen talking, her voice was stern and despite that, Juho could hear the motherly care out. He suddenly missed his mother even more. "Mother, you talk like we don't see them every year. We have arrived after a long journey and my body craves rest." 

Juho saw how one of the soldiers, he recognised him as the one who had silenced him with a slap, eye the crown prince up and down once. He clearly was outraged about the behaviour the young prince exhibited. 

"Young man, you'll not disobey your mother. You ought to bridle your tongue, especially in the presence of our hosts." The deep voice carried a hard edge and Juho noted how the prince's shoulders dropped the tiniest bit. 

Every now and then, the youngest amongst the four kept turning around. Whenever she tried to look Juho into the eyes, he diverted his stare towards the floor. He didn't see how she smiled gently. 

She was pretty, Juho had never seen someone as gorgeous as her. Her black hair was long, silky and shiny under the light. Some strands had been lighter, though it didn't look unnatural. Her hair was, just like his, glittering too. Her lips were plump, cheeks rosy and her tanned skin made her look ethereal. Her sharp eyes were playfully watching her surroundings. Juho was surprised. None of the stories he heard about the fairies were true, so far. 

Juho had to be honest. He had zoned out as soon as the elf king greeted their guests. He was standing at the side with the other soldiers. He had been practically sandwiched between the two who despised him the most. Juho was bored, though his face was still kept in a stoic mask. 

Apparently, he wasn't the only one who felt that way. 

The crown prince, Juho remembered his name to be Jaeyoon, was wandering down around the main hall while the elders were talking. The elf prince tried to talk to Jaeyoon, who in return was ignoring him. Juho tried to look away but he was mesmerized. If he had thought that the most beautiful person to walk this ground had been the princess, he was wrong. Jaeyoon was, in his eyes, the personification of perfection. 

The young male's dark brown, curly hair fell lazily yet in an elegant way around his face, framing it like a beautiful canvas. His cheeks were more on the chubby side and even with a thoughtful expression his dimples were visible. They were as deep as the ocean. His lips were plump, almost heart shaped, his nose was on the smaller skale but it didn't look odd- it made his face appear like a perfect painting. His eyes were almond shaped, the orbs coloured in a chocolate brown. Jaeyoon's eyes looked even prettier when the sun hit them. 

He was muscular, more than Juho would ever be. Jaeyoon was wearing multiple piercings on one of his pointy ears. The tip of them was glittering. 

Juho felt a sharp pain pull him out of his trance. The man next to him had noticed him eyeing the crown prince. He knew he was done for. Jaeyoon hadn't noticed the young elf staring, though. Instead, he had locked his hands behind his back and let his eyes wander over the soldiers. 

"Oh." He breathed out as his eyes landed on Juho. Jaeyoon had never seen him before. He looked so out of place between all the pointy eared, tanned buff males. He was on the skinnier, lankier side. It was the first time Jaeyoon had seen a pale elf. And was that glitter on his cheeks and- and hair too? 

Suddenly he felt anger rise. Were they trying to mock his species? The elf crown prince followed Jaeyoon's eyes with his own. He was about to tell him to ignore Juho when Jaeyoon unabashedly made his way towards the guard, who in return didn't know what to do. They hadn't prepared him for the case of the crown prince planting himself in front of him. 

How was he supposed to avoid eye contact if the royal boy basically pushed his face into Juho's? 

The guards around Juho took a step aside, making space for Jaeyoon. He circled Juho slowly, taking in his entire appearance. 

Juho had usually not been fond of his mean looking face but today he thanked the higher might for it. For once, he was glad he looked unapproachable.

Jaeyoon reached out, he was about to touch Juho's cheek when his father bellowed for him. He dropped his hand again, taking a few steps back. His eyes never left Juho's face before he had turned away and made his way to his family. 

Juho, on the other hand, had continued to stubbornly stare past Jaeyoon's shoulder. He was uncomfortable being sized up. 

"No, he will not guard my precious sister." Jaeyoon had crossed his arms, almost pouting. His mother looked appalled while his father apologised on behalf of his son. Juho's pride was hurt, he didn't know why though. He didn't want to guard any of them in the first place. 

"I don't mind if he does." The twinkling sound of the young princess' voice made all heads snap towards her. She shyly smiled towards Juho, which she quickly hid behind her hand. 

Oh, this wasn't good at all. If Jaeyoon didn't read too much into it, his sister had taken a liking towards the unusual looking elf. He was too protective over her, especially because she was too young in his eyes. 

"I said I do. He can guard me." In that moment, Jaeyoon knew he came off as a spoiled brat. But he was damned if he let someone like Juho close to his sister. 

Juho, on the other hand, was doing his best to not let out a sigh. He bowed to the royalties before he followed the young prince out of the main hall. Juho kept a safe distance to the prince. Once they had reached Jaeyoon's quarter, he stopped at the door. Jaeyoon gave him a bewildered look. "Get inside, will you?" 

Juho blinked at him in confusion, not moving a single muscle. He still held the door open and Jaeyoon narrowed his eyes. "I said, get in. Don't you understand?" Jaeyoon grabbed Juho's wrist, which caught the elf off guard. He let the prince pull him inside. Juho tried to gently twist his, by now aching, wrist out of Jaeyoon's grasp. Instead of loosening his hold, Jaeyoon tightened it. "Look me in the eyes. Stop being rude, why are you avoiding my face, huh?" Juho bit his lip, looking everywhere but at Jaeyoon. 

He was so confused, so lost, he didn't know what to do. The General had been clear- don't look at the Majesty no matter what. 

Juho had brought his free hand up, trying to pull his wrist out of the grasp. Jaeyoon let go but instead grabbed Juho's jaw, forcing him to look at him. Jaeyoon saw the fear flicker in the young male's eyes for a brief second and he wondered what they had told him about his family. 

His current behaviour probably was feeding into the lies he had been told. 

He roughly brushed his fingertips across Juho's cheek. The guard furrowed his eyebrows in discomfort, clearly torn on what he should do. Jaeyoon rubbed the glitter between his fingers, still holding the blonde's chin in place. He had drawn his eyebrows together in concentration. "Wash your face." The demanding tone surprised even Jaeyoon. 

Juho blinked again in confusion. He hadn't uttered a single word since the arrival of the fairies. "For that, your highness, you are ought to let go of my face." It startled Jaeyoon. The guard's deep but gentle voice didn't fit his ethereal appearance. Jaeyoon let go, still rubbing the glitter between his fingers as Juho bowed slightly. 

He followed Juho out into the corridor. "Where are you going? There's a bathroom in my chamber." 

Juho didn't listen, he had seen the General stalking towards him with a furious face. Either Jaeyoon hadn't noticed the fuming man or he was playing dumb and doing everything in his might to get Juho killed. 

"Your majesty." The general bowed deeply. Jaeyoon was standing slightly behind Juho, who was trying to stand as tall as he could. He knew that no matter what he said, the general wouldn't believe him. "We will leave you to rest, your highness. In the meantime" The general's friendly face had dropped the second he addressed Juho. "You. Follow me. Now."

Jaeyoon hadn't noticed the tension suddenly floating in the air. He was confused, he wanted to know why the guard had glued glitter onto his hair and cheeks. "No offense, General. But I still wasn't done talking to him yet. He can't go anywhere unless I say so, am I wrong?" Jaeyoon had crossed his arms in front of his chest, the silk clinging around his figure tightly. "Clearly he has something important to discuss, Jaeyoon. Stop being so stubborn all the time." The stern hand on the prince's shoulder made Jaeyoon shut up. He couldn't disobey his father. "Don't forget to wash your face when you're back." Jaeyoon reminded him before he turned on his heel and slammed the door behind himself shut. His father shook his head as he watched the two elves bow and excuse themselves. There was something off about the lanky guard but the king couldn't exactly pinpoint it. 

Juho had kept a safe, large distance to the chubby man. He didn't know what to expect, he was sure the guards had told the man how he had unabashedly checked the crown prince out. 

They had reached a winded staircase leading towards the oubliette. Juho felt the cold breeze swipe through his hair the closer they got to the end of the stairs. 

The General hadn't wasted a second. As soon as Juho's boots timidly touched the gravel, he had been pushed and that hard. Juho stumbled, trying to balance the push out. Before he could fall, he steadied himself on the wall. Juho had involuntarily let out a gasp as the hand connected with his head, tightly gripping his hair. The General might have been smaller by quite a bit, yet he was stronger. He pulled Juho's head down by his hair. Tears formed at the corner of Juho's sharp eyes. "I told you not to even glance towards the highness, did I?" 

Throbbing pain shot up Juho's body as the free hand of the smaller man connected with his stomach. The young male was retching for air as he tried to twist himself out of the man's hold. All he got was sharp pain on his skull and a kick towards his shin. Juho took a step back in time, avoiding getting kicked in the nuts. His leg gave in under the sheer force the man had sent his foot flying to.

The General let go of his hair and booted Juho's chest, sending the elf to the ground. Juho landed with a loud thud on the pebbly soil. He swore to have heard something crack at the force. Juho had barely time to breathe as the General lunged back at him, kicking Juho merciless. The latter tried to cover up his head as much as he could, curling up into a fetal position. 

He hated being tall, his height had brought him yet another disadvantage. 

Between each kick, the man continued talking. He didn't want to hear any of Juho's excuses, he didn't want to hear Juho's side of the story. 

"You filthy, disgusting, pestilential low life. I knew it was a mistake to entrust you something as high profile as guarding the prince." He grunted out. Juho didn't even bother trying to fight back, he silently took it all in whilst he refused to let the tears of pain forming in his eyes spill. 

"You disgust me, you abnormality. Can't even comprehend the simple string of words such as don't make eye contact. But what should I have expected, from some bastard child? Betraying the kingdom like your mother, fucking dirty whore." The words came out with spite. Only when he had heard his mother being insulted did Juho start fighting back. "My mother is not a dirty whore!" He exclaimed calmly before he had rolled away from the incoming kick. His entire body ached and he tasted blood in his mouth. 

"Is she not?" The man snorted, pulling out his sword and pointing it towards Juho's face. He in return had snatched his bow and an arrow out the basket they were stored in. "She isn't. Apologize." Juho's eye was swelling and he was sure his face was going to be bruised but he didn't care. No one dared to insult his mother in his presence. The General didn't waver one bit nor did he drop the mocking grin. "You can't tell me you never asked yourself why you look like monstrosity- with your hair and damn cheeks shimmering, your damn skin being so pale that you don't need a source of light. You think you'd be this ugly if your mother had not betrayed our beautiful kingdom-" 

Juho's eye twitched in anger. He was about to shoot the arrow off right in between the eyes of the man who had ventured to insult his mother if it hadn't been for a cough to interrupt them. "General, your words were pretty harsh. You should apologize." 

Neither Juho nor the guard had noticed Jaeyoon follow them. He was leaning against one of the cell's bars in the further back, close to the staircase. The fairy slowly walked towards them. Juho had immediately lowered his eyes, so as to not provoke the crown prince at least. He had stored his weapon back in the quiver, leaving the General be the only one who still had his sword pointed mere inches away from Juho's throat. 

Jaeyoon was standing between the two as he looked at the soldier with his eyebrows raised. He had rested a protective hand onto his personal guard's shoulder. Juho had looked through the corner of his eyes when he heard the crown prince let out a disbelieving laugh. The movement of his head made some glitter gently sway towards the floor. Jaeyoon barely had enough time to register what was happening. He had been pulled behind the young elf, who was now holding his slashed upper arm tightly. Had the General just tried to kill their guest? Jaeyoon just stared at the man in shock. "You disgust me, commoner." 

Juho's breathing was ragged and Jaeyoon tried to comprehend what just had taken place.

"Your majesty. You should wash your hands." The implication was unmistakable. The General gave Juho a hard, long glare before he bowed to Jaeyoon and left. Juho knew in that moment that he'd be executed the second all of the festivities were done and the neighbouring royal family had left. 

_ Great _ , Juho bitterly thought. Not only was he in immense pain, no. He also had to spend the rest of his remaining, short life with a bratty male who didn't know when to stop interfering. 

Juho had escorted Jaeyoon back into his chamber. The way back was awkward, at least for the prince. The way the guard had shut him up with a glare made Jaeyoon shiver. It was like Juho had been piercing his soul. Shouldn't he be thanking Jaeyoon, though? After all, the General would've killed Juho had he not stepped in. 

"Let me help you get that wound treated." Jaeyoon started, beckoning the younger inside his sleeping quarters. Juho didn't budge a bit. He bowed, before he turned to leave. Jaeyoon wasn't used to being ignored nor left struggling. Weirdly enough, he was intrigued by this behaviour. 

"If you go down to your quarter to get your arm patched up, they'll kill you." Jaeyoon noted absentmindedly, looking around the room. He was sitting on one of the couches, letting his feet sway gently for- and backwards. He didn't know why he was so concerned about the silent male.

"I can heal your arm in a matter of minutes, you know." Jaeyoon finally looked back up into Juho's face. He saw uncertainty for the unteempt time. The prince sighed. He got up, grabbing a piece of cloth he hated either way and pressed it against the slash on the taller's arm. Though he was wearing a uniform to protect him from most injuries, Juho was bleeding quite a lot. He silently took the fabric over and stepped timidly inside.  _ Finally _ , Jaeyoon thought. He looked outside the hall, twice, before he closed the massive door and locked it. 

Juho had stopped Jaeyoon when he had tried to help him take off the cape and shirt. Clearly he was uncomfortable and Jaeyoon was sure he knew that he was going to be asked questions. Questions which he would have to answer, because one couldn't just ignore the prince.

Juho had just pulled his thin arm out of the sleeve, displaying the deep slash which went diagonally almost over his entire upper arm. Jaeyoon grimaced at it. He was sure that if it had been any deeper, the bone would've been exposed. "Why are you doing this?" Juho had glanced at Jaeyoon with distrust in his eyes, just for a second yet long enough for the prince to see. 

"It'll hurt but it's better than getting stitches." Jaeyoon pointed out as he stretched his palm over Juho's arm. His hand was covered in an opaque green flame. Jaeyoon had been right, it hurt like hell but Juho kept a straight face. Except for the few times when Jaeyoon had come across deeper parts of his wound. 

"So. Why aren't you looking at me when we talk, like ever?" Jaeyoon casually started. Juho bit the inside of his mouth, trying to not let out any pained sounds. "I'm just a commoner." He stated, as if that was reason enough. To Jaeyoon, and his family for a fact, it wasn't. "So? And?" 

Juho was confused. "Your majesty, I do not understand." Juho exclaimed, confused. "It doesn't matter if you're a commoner or a noble. You're a living being. I'm a living being. We don't mind it if you, you know, hold eye contact or whatever they told you not to do." Juho, for the first time, actively looked into Jaeyoon's concentrated face. The royal had his eyebrows drawn together, focusing on the deeper slashes, his lips pulled into a thin line. He had caught Juho staring at him. This time, the young elf didn't look away. He looked at Jaeyoon, studied his features unabashedly and the young prince felt like he was being sucked into the younger's eyes. The elf's cutting visuals pulled Jaeyoon into kind of a trance he only could snap out from when the said male looked away. "Your eyes." Jaeyoon simply stated, pretending that the staring hadn't made him feel strange. Juho didn't say anything but played with the hem of the dirtied shirt he was wearing. "They changed their colour." Jaeyoon continued. "Yeah, that sometimes happens." The prince was taken aback by the bluntness but he necessarily didn't dislike it. He liked the sound of the guard's voice. 

"Tell me something about yourself." Jaeyoon was almost done with his work but Juho neither answered his question nor did he let Jaeyoon continue what he was doing, the rapid knocking on the big doors made him jump up. He clumsily tried pulling his uniform back up while the knocking grew more impatient. Juho hissed as he felt the almost healed wound rip up again yet he gritted his teeth and pulled the heavy cape on. He quickly erased his pain stricken expression by a void mask before he unlocked the door and it almost immediately sprung open.

Tiny fists came flying to his chest automatically. "Ya, Jaeyoon! I told you I'm bored, why would you lock your door? How annoying. And then you took that handsome guard away from me..." Juho watched in amusement, the tip of his pointy, long ears turning red at the last part. Juho had never been called handsome before. He had gently stopped the princess attack by placing his hands onto her forearms. She had trailed off the second she realised she wasn't hitting her brother, but her supposed crush.

She looked up with big eyes and only snapped out of it when she heard Jaeyoon snicker. She was about to point out the bruises forming on the guard's face but her words died in her throat as Jaeyoon spoke. "And once again, you're embarrassing yourself." Jaeyoon had crossed his arms, he was by now standing too. He still casted a worried glance at the elf's arm. Jaeyoon had heard the tissue rip.

"Haewon, you're ought to leave the poor soul alone. He looks rough, but he's kind." Jaeyoon clapped Juho's shoulder. The vibrations it sent through his body, specifically his arm, made him let out a tiny, barely audible groan. Juho had long let go of the girl's arms but she almost instantly wrapped her arms gracefully around Juho's waist. She rested her cheek against Juho's dirty armor in content. 

It was like fate hated the elf. Anyone passing by could tell that Juho hadn't initiated nor recipocrated the touch. Jaeyoon was playfully winding his sister up when the familiar voice boomed over their banter. Chills ran down Juho's spine as he tried to free himself from the princess' tight grip. 

"Princess, you should not touch it. It's dirty." Juho knew his kind wasn't liked to be seen outside of their fields and homes but hearing it over and over again, how dirty they were or how they were the reason deadly diseases like the  _ elf's pox _ existed- it made the hatred all too real and it hurt.

She was pulled away by the royal elf and escorted to her chambers to clean up. He shot the tall elf one warning look before he disappeared. Juho let out a sigh in resignation. He shouldn't have let his guard down. Jaeyoon attempted to close the door again, to continue where he had been interrupted but Juho stopped him. 

"It's best if I leave you to rest, your highness." Juho bowed his head and disappeared quickly before Jaeyoon could force him to stay. "You could've at least told me your name." Jaeyoon muttered after he closed the door.

He hadn't seen Juho the entire afternoon. He had been thinking about the guard- so much had happened in the past hours since their arrival. No one had managed to cause such emotional turmoil inside Jaeyoon. 

Jaeyoon was lying on his stomach on the king-sized, soft bed. The covers crumbled around him every time he swung his legs back and forth. He turned around so he laid on his back, staring at the ceiling. It was beautifully done, flowers crafted into the concrete. 

He couldn't keep his mind off the guard. At first, he had wanted to make the man's life hell for mocking his species. Then he realised that he wasn't making fun of them, he had been just born that way. And it was clear that neither the royal elves nor the commoners in this kingdom wanted to be associated with him. Jaeyoon felt bad for him. 

Gentle knocking ripped him out of his thoughts. "Come in." He simply stated, not moving from where he was lying. A few seconds had passed and Jaeyoon thought he was being pranked. Instead, the door opened and the guard bowed, again. Jaeyoon sat up, propping his elbows on his knees and resting his face in his hands. He watched Juho with a curious gaze. 

"Your majesty, I do hope you rested well. The highnesses are awaiting your arrival at the dining hall." 

Jaeyoon just hummed. "What's your name?" Juho hadn't expected a question to that nature. No one was ever concerned about him and he grew suspicious about the sudden raise of interest sides the young prince. "You never told me your name. It feels weird calling you just guard." Jaeyoon jumped off his bed and walked towards Juho. He grabbed his long coat before he stepped out into the cold hallway. "Juho." He simply said as he let the door fall close. "Juho." Jaeyoon repeated, making his name sound like a beautiful song.

Juho decided that it was hard to control Jaeyoon. He did whatever he wanted, which resulted in him getting pulled aside and plummeted. The flesh wound was still healing and it got ripped open again one day. Juho felt like his soul had left his body as one of the guards had purposefully pressed his dirty fingers in. This time, they had seen how Jaeyoon had attempted to heal his arm again. How dare someone noble like Jaeyoon raise his helping hand for someone unimportant and despicable like Juho? 

Juho wanted to disappear. He didn't think he'd be able to take any of the bearings any longer. At first, they had spared his face and any other body part that was visible through the uniform but they had stopped caring about that too. That day, Juho was leaning against the wall next to the door, steadying his aching body. He was tired. 

The bruises were blossoming on his face and his arm hurt terribly. Jaeyoon had been in the study room with his family for quite a bit now, and the other three guards had left Juho alone. Either, they were planning to hurt him even more or they went to have dinner. His body was used to the constant state of hunger, so he didn't mind that part. 

"Jaeyoon, we told you to behave before we arrived, didn't we?" The fairy let out a heavy sigh. "I  _ am  _ behaving!" Jaeyoon's voice cut through the heavy doors. Juho didn't want to ears drop but he couldn't just ignore the loud banter. "What your father is trying to say, darling, that you should try to bend a little to the rules of our hosts." 

He heard Jaeyoon scoff. "Mother, you can not possibly mean this. By all means. They'll kill this young lad, for nothing he has done wrong." 

Juho froze. So Jaeyoon had noticed it. Slowly anger made its way through every fiber of Juho's body. He had seen it but still continued his brattish act? 

Jaeyoon couldn't control his temper anymore. "You should be ashamed of yourselves! What's happening right now is against all of our values- I can not watch and sit-" 

"Prince Lee Jaeyoon!" His father's voice boomed in the grant room, echoing off the walls. Even his always composed mother flinched at the sudden raise of tone. "Know your place. You can not and will not risk the on going truce because of a mere crippled farmer's child." 

Jaeyoon had jumped to his feet. He shouldn't talk back to his father and no one knew that better than the prince himself. The tip of Jaeyoon's pointy ears turned red in anger, the glitter shimmering on his face and ears taking a darker shade. He flexed his fist close and open, repeatedly. Haewon had never seen his brother this angry. 

"Mother, father. You should hear Jaeyoon out, this once please-" Her begging had been cut off by her mother. "Haewon, not you too. He's not worth risking another bloody war." Jaeyoon's fury subdued into disappointment. "I really thought you meant it when you said fight for the poor." Jaeyoon shook his head and gracefully walked through the door, completely ignoring his parents calls. His sister had the same disappointed look on her face. 

Juho was torn. He couldn't leave the prince unguarded but he also couldn't leave the royal family behind. At the same time, he had been assigned to the prince and it wasn't his problem if the others had left their spot, so Juho jogged up to Jaeyoon.

The past days had been pretty intense, aside from the beatings. Jaeyoon had kept asking questions about his life, questions Juho had been reluctant to answer. He vaguely replied, trying to keep his private life to himself. 

Juho on the other hand has learned that Jaeyoon had been a bright soul, chatty but also thoughtful. He was still childish at times but Juho didn't blame him- that's just how noble children are. Rarely faced with the harsh reality of living, unlike poor kids like Juho. Jaeyoon liked it when people laughed, so he cracked jokes almost all the time. Juho would gently smile at his antics. He started to like the prince.

"I want to see where you live, Juho." Jaeyoon whispered. The two were sitting in the prince's chamber, the very same spot Jaeyoon had attempted to heal Juho's arm for the first time days ago. Jaeyoon was close, too close and Juho's eyes were wide at the proximity. If anyone walked in now, they wouldn't forgive him. They'd kill him right away. 

Juho cleared his throat, immediately looking away. Jaeyoon watched the man next to him in amusement. He enjoyed seeing Juho squirm, he thought it was cute. 

"Your highness-" Jaeyoon's sigh interrupted him. "I told you to stop saying that when we're alone." Juho was still trying to get used to the kindness. He rarely had experienced it. "Jaeyoon, it's not a place someone of your status should be going around." At that, the fairy furrowed his eyebrows. "What do you mean by that, Juho?" The elf just shrugged his shoulders. "There are people who shouldn't see you lurking there. Especially because you're a fairy. And a royal one at that." Jaeyoon was intrigued. He wanted to go even more now, he wanted to see how Juho lived. 

"Don't you want to see your family?" He saw Juho stiffen ever so slightly. The only thing showing any signs of movement was the glitter on the younger's skin. Jaeyoon reached out to thread his fingers through Juho's shiny hair. It startled him and he snapped his eyes towards the older. "This isn't fair." Jaeyoon knew that, too. But he got what he wanted. "I take it as a yes. I'll arrange everything for tomorrow." He smiled brightly, blending Juho with his deep dimples. 

At first, Juho hadn't noticed how he had gradually started falling for the prince. It had been like a cliche romance plot. He hated it. He also knew that Jaeyoon was way out of his league, especially with how everyone perceived Juho. Now he was standing in the middle of the prince's bedroom, helping him dress like someone around his neighbourhood.

"This won't cut it. You're just- you're too perfect." Juho had realised too late what he had said. Jaeyoon had broken out in a huge smile, again. He leaned closer to Juho, keeping his wrists still by holding them gently. "Sorry, I didn't hear what you just said. I'm what?" 

Juho looked him straight in the eyes, letting Jaeyoon hold his thin wrists. "Too perfect. I said you're too perfect." He repeated, without breaking eye contact. Jaeyoon's mischievous smile turned into a rather unsure one, he swallowed hard. He let out an insecure laugh. "Not sure what you're trying to say but thank you."

Juho went back to fixing Jaeyoon's clothes. "Even wearing my clothes you still look like a noble. You smell too good. Your teeth are too white and and straight. Your hair is too shiny and soft-" 

Jaeyoon laughed nervously again. "Are you complimenting or insulting me? I'm not sure." The corner of Juho's lips moved slightly upwards. 

It took Juho about another thirty minutes to make the royal look like a commoner. "Watch your words, they can tell your status by the way you speak. Let me do the speaking." Jaeyoon thoughtfully nodded as he walked next to Juho. He was wearing clothes he usually had on when he was working on the field. The fabric was thin, almost see through. Jaeyoon's whole body itched, his skin wasn't used to rough materials. Juho had bound a tiny bag of coins around his waist. He was carrying a small knife, his bow and arrow had already been stored in their carriage. 

"Juho." Said man looked up into Jaeyoon's eyes. The fairy studied the male sitting opposite him intently. "Forgive me for this question but did you go to lectures?" It was eerily silent, the only source of sounds was the clicking of the horseshoes. Jaeyoon started to regret asking but Juho spoke up, he had a bitter look in his eyes. He was facing the window again, watching the scenery pass by. Jaeyoon was mesmerized by the others beautiful side profile.

"No. My brother enjoys education, though. I wasn't allowed." Jaeyoon couldn't imagine the pain the younger must be feeling each time he was excluded, even by his own family. He knew that Juho never really told him everything but Jaeyoon wasn't stupid. He could read between the lines. "Why? Aren't you older?" Juho didn't answer. Jaeyoon grew frustrated. "What, because of the way you look? Juho, you look like a fairy and that's nothing to be ashamed of. You look beautiful; No one in our kingdom would treat you the way they do here, do you know that?" Juho smiled a little before it disappeared quickly again. The elf focused back on Jaeyoon. "You should sleep, the ride is long." With that, Juho had ended the conversation. Jaeyoon pouted, he didn't want to stop talking to the other. 

He reached out and pulled Juho to him- the vehicle was tiny so Juho had to support himself on the wall behind Jaeyoon. He stared at the older with huge eyes, shock was evident in them. Jaeyoon looked up innocently as Juho's breath fanned over his face. 

The road was uneven and Juho knew they were already past the secure spots. Jaeyoon pulled him down to sit beside him and the elf just followed his lead. Soon enough, the prince fell asleep, head resting on Juho’s shoulder. He watched Jaeyoon with a sad expression, knowing that he’d never see the beautiful, kind hearted man once the celebrations were over in two weeks. 

Jaeyoon knew Juho had heard the fight, he knew Juho had heard about the planned execution. Both pretended like it hadn’t happened, though Jaeyoon had been caught by the younger more than once with sorrowful expression. 

The sun was slowly rising. Juho gently woke the older up, heart swelling with warmth as Jaeyoon rubbed his eyes. While Jaeyoon was still trying to shake off the sleepiness, Juho had long jumped out the carriage and opened the door for the prince. 

“We should walk the rest, the coach is too out of place.” Jaeyoon didn’t complain. He fell in synch next to Juho, silently enjoying the still slightly cold morning breeze. Juho noticed the aristocrat shiver, though he had not uttered a single word of complaint. Juho’s body was used to the thin clothes in the cold so he took his jacket off and draped it over the prince’s shoulders. Jaeyoon gave him a grateful smile as he slid into the sleeves with ease.    
The fairy took in the dilapidated houses. Some had no windows, others had doors that were barely closing. The streets were littered in dirt and it smelled terribly. Juho had warned him but the prince thought he was exaggerating. Unconsciously, he nestled closer into Juho’s side. At some point, Jaeyoon jumped and clung onto Juho’s arm. He didn’t let go and neither did Juho force him off. 

Jaeyoon’s feet hurt, he wasn’t used to walking so much and that on an uneven path. The shoes he was wearing didn’t really protect his feet and it felt like he was walking barefoot on the ground. He was about to whine when Juho stopped in front of a house. Jaeyoon noticed how it was the only occupied space. He assumed that no one wanted to live close to them. Without asking how Jaeyoon felt or if he was ready, Juho knocked on the door. His brother must’ve tried to repair it, seeing how it was hanging halfheartedly in the joints. 

The door opened and Juho forgot everything once his brother stared at him in surprise. Juho engulfed his brother in a tight hug, who returned it as enthusiastic. Juho had buried his face in the younger’s shoulder, his fingers digging into the fabric the boy was wearing. 

Jaeyoon was standing awkwardly on the side, watching how the brothers were reuniting. The prince took the time to study Juho’s brother. His brother had tan skin, brown eyes and dark hair- just like any other elf in this kingdom. He was tinier and bulkier too. Juho broke the hug and patted his brother’s head instead. “Where’s mom? Where’s dad?” 

Juho’s brother went inside, letting Juho and Jaeyoon step in. “We were just having breakfast.” He had just then noticed that Juho had brought a guest with him. 

Jaeyoon wasn’t used to small spaces. The entire house was as big as his garderobe. An elderly couple was sitting on the ground, they were having breakfast. Jaeyoon was astonished as the sun had barely risen. “Mom. Dad-” Juho’s words got stuck in his throat as he dropped to his knees and bowed deeply to his parents. Jaeyoon saw how his mother bursted out in tears and his father put a comforting hand on his son’s shoulder. Jaeyoon’s heart broke at the scene. If they were already this emotional by seeing their son after two weeks of absence, he didn’t want to know what they’d do if he was to be executed. He felt helpless. 

Juho straightened up, gesturing Jaeyoon to take a seat on the ground too. Jaeyoon did as he was told. He felt the unevenesses dig into his calves, though the burned clay ground was covered by a thin carpet. Juho avoided Jaeyoon’s eyes, who casted him worried looks. He did his best to keep the tears back.    
  
“Juho, you should’ve told us that you were coming. And bringing a guest at that.” Juho’s mother gently scolded. Before the youngest in the room took a seat next to Jaeyoon, he brought a plate and cup. There was no curtley. “Hello, sir, madame. I’m Jaeyoon-” The second the prince opened his mouth, the elder’s eyes widened. Juho’s father had immediately figured out who he was. Juho had let his hair fall over his face as he kept his face down. Jaeyoon couldn’t understand what was happening currently, the room had fallen into an uncomfortable silence. “Yoojun!” That was enough for the young boy to shoot up and take a seat next to his father, leaving the spot next to the prince unoccupied. “I’m sorry my Lord, for we can not offer other food than the one on the table. Had we known, we would’ve prepared more.” Suddenly, the couple and young boy were simultaneously bowing. They held their bows for about a minute before they sat back up. “As for you, young man!” Juho still didn’t look up, he was tightly gripping the fabric hugging his thighs. “You can not just show up with someone as noble and not tell us beforehand.” 

Jaeyoon’s cheeks flushed, automatically twinkling darker. “Dad-” Jaeyoon cut Juho off. “Sir, please don’t be too hard on him. He did try to talk me out of it.” He smiled nervously, patting Juho’s shoulder gently. The woman’s eyes were wide in shock. She wasn’t used to anyone coming close to her son on their own free will, nevertheless touching him. Her first reaction was to get the prince something to wipe his hands clean. Jaeyoon took the wet piece of cloth in confusion. Juho’s shoulders had slumped even more at his mother’s reaction.  _ Some things will never change _ , Juho bitterly thought. He had expected for the fairy to clean his hands but to his surprise, he dropped it onto the ground. Jaeyoon was beyond pissed. Was this how Juho had lived all his life long? It irked him even more to see the younger silently endure all of it. 

“Your highness, it’s alright. Please try to have some breakfast, as we have a long day ahead.” Juho silently said without raising his head once. Jaeyoon bit the inside of his mouth to keep himself from saying anything. He had promised the elf to keep his temper in bay, though it proved to be way harder than he had imagined. 

After the awkward breakfast, where Juho hadn’t eaten a single bit but instead had handed it to Jaeyoon, the family made their way towards the huge acre close to their tiny cottage. Jaeyoon was curious but at the same time, he feared what he was going to see. In his tiny, well-protected bubble his parents had built for him, there was no such a thing as rationing food, wearing the same clothes for more than a week or even having no own restroom. Hell, Juho’s family was so poor that they had to steal fresh water out of a well from one of their neighbours. If they were to be caught, they’d be killed instantly. 

The second they reached the acre, Juho had changed. It was like a switch had been turned on and Jaeyoon was seeing a completely new version of the elf. His skin was beaming underneath the sun. Juho was smiling genuinely as he brushed his fingers through the wheats ear. Jaeyoon never left Juho’s side, watching him reap skillfully the ripe vegetables at the far end of the field. He crouched down next to Juho and helped pull out lettuce. Juho’s face was red from the rays burning his skin but he didn’t seem to mind. “How are you feeling?” Jaeyoon tried figuring out which lettuce was ready to be picked and which still had to sprout. Juho blinked at him. “Free.” He said, before he went back to filling the basket with the vegetables. 

Free. Juho felt free when he was working under the sun, which clearly damaged his skin. He felt free with the dirt underneath his nails. Jaeyoon watched the younger for a few seconds, taking in the genuinely relaxed expression and posture. Unknowingly, a smile creeped up onto Jaeyoon’s face as well. Time passed on the field faster than Jaeyoon would’ve imagined and he wanted nothing more but to take a hot bath. Which he couldn’t, considering that the Baek family took their bath in a lake further out of the castle. 

Juho had stayed back with his father, it was clear that they had something to discuss. It was mainly his father talking and the guard listening. Jaeyoon thanked his blessed hearing. "Juho, it doesn't matter if he wanted it or not. You know very well that they're just  _ looking _ for an excuse to eradicate our family." 

"Dad, I could not have denied him anything. Not because he's of royal descent, but because I  _ like  _ him." The slap echoed in the silence of the night. The moon illuminated the swaying of the particles falling of Juho's cheek. “Don’t you dare talk about a royal like he’s a friend. He’s going to be your,  _ our _ , downfall Juho!” Jaeyoon halted in his track, turning around to see Juho cradling his cheek as his father whispered angrily into his face. Jaeyoon saw the male cry for the first time and even then he looked breathtaking. His tears looked like liquid gold. Jaeyoon took a step towards the crying male but Juho turned his back to him. He saw him look up to the sky and wipe his eyes. Juho's father had long snatched the reap of the day out of his hands and angrily limped towards their cottage. 

Juho turned back around, attempting to walk past Jaeyoon but the older held him back. "Juho." The gentleness made something snap inside Juho again. He fought the tears back, again, and just stared at Jaeyoon.

It was silent for a moment, before Juho broke down. With worry Jaeyoon tried to comfort the younger but Juho wouldn't let Jaeyoon touch him. "I am not ready to die yet. I thought I was but-" The rest of it died in his throat. Jaeyoon's heart ached, he wanted to do something- anything- to help the young adult. “Sorry. We should head inside. It’s dangerous out here.” The elf’s voice was rough from the suppressed sobs. Juho waited for the other to walk ahead but he didn’t do anything other than staring at him with his almond eyes, clearly pitying him. The elf slowly walked towards their housing, Jaeyoon jogging up to him. “They’re usually not like this. It’s just that they are worried.” Juho felt like he had to clarify. Jaeyoon had been brought up in a protected environment so it was the first time seeing a supposedly loving father raise his hand solely because he had brought a guest. 

Something caught Jaeyoon’s eye and he strayed away from Juho, who immediately was looking around in alert. “Jaeyoon! Don’t do that. Stop being so  _ reckless _ .” Jaeyoon ignored Juho’s nagging. He crouched down, the jacket Juho had given him was carelessly brushing the dirt. “This is so pretty.” He excitedly exclaimed, gently holding the bud of a lantana between his fingers. 

Jaeyoon was lost in the beauty of the flower and had startled up when he heard someone call out Juho’s name. Said man was standing in front of him, completely covering Jaeyoon’s crouched figure. He held his breath as Juho knocked his heel gently against Jaeyoon’s foot, signaling him to stay put. 

“Well, well,  _ well _ . If that isn’t our beloved freak of nature, Juho.” Jaeyoon heard the person step closer. “I'm surprised they chose you, freak."

The young elf hadn't moved a single muscle, just staring at the boy in front of him with a stoic face. "Did they allow ya to see your family as a last present? That's very kind of the king, considering that you are nothing but a disgrace to our beautiful kingdom, no? Because rumours say that you will soon greet the noose up close." The sturdy male smirked devilishly. "And I want front seats, abomination. It's about time, they let you live long enough." He heard Juho exhale sharply. Jaeyoon couldn't listen anymore. He got up and pushed past Juho. "You! Shut your trap before you regret it!" Jaeyoon yelled, pointing his finger at him. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw his guard squeeze his eyes shut and pull his lips into a thin line in exasperation. “Oh, you got a friend.” The smile was creepy, his teeth crooked and rotten. 

Juho pulled Jaeyoon behind him again. “Leave.” He grumbled, the elf’s hand was gripping the pick tightly. The prince shuddered at the mocking laugh Juho’s neighbour let out. “He doesn’t seem to be from here.” Juho was completely ignored once more. “Oh Juho, did you finally find someone crooked like you?” He took another step towards the tall male. Juho narrowed his eyes, the sudden change of his posture scared Jaeyoon.    
“He’s a fairy, no? No matter how much you try to mask his scent, it’s unmistakable. I must say though, you did a good job. Not good enough though. His entire presence just screams that he’s of a higher class.” Jaeyoon was speechless at how the boy was so nonchalantly exposing him. “I knew you were a traitor, Juho. Tomorrow, everyone will know that you’re housing our enemy. Oh, please. Don’t give me that look. You and I both know very well that this party is just a facade-” He had been circling the two, eyeing Jaeyoon like a predator mustered its prey. He had attempted to grab Jaeyoon’s face but Juho had grabbed his wrist and twisted it harshly. The boy let out a yell. Juho had made sure Jaeyoon was behind him again and before the elf could attack him once more, the guard had made use of the pick he was holding. “I told you to leave.” Jaeyoon was staring at the limb body on the ground, the pick embedded into the male’s chest as if it didn’t belong anywhere else but there. The sinister look in Juho’s eyes, the way his face was covered in splatters of blood- Jaeyoon was scared. He was clinging onto Juho’s arm, he couldn’t stop staring at the dead male. 

The elf shook off Jaeyoon’s grip and picked the buff body off the ground. It was hard but he didn’t ask the prince for help. Not that he could’ve, he was too much in a state of shock.    
The little walk they had left was spent in complete, heavy silence. Juho had attempted to wipe off the red liquid before it dried- succeeding quite well. “Maybe we should leave.” Jaeyoon noted in a tiny voice. Juho was about to open the door but stopped at the fear filled tone. “The coach won’t be here until tomorrow morning, though. We can’t.” 

That night, Jaeyoon had instinctively snuggled closer to the younger. He had told himself because the ground was cold and the blanket too thin. It was clear that Juho’s parents weren’t fond of the idea of the prince sleeping on the ground, hugging their son to sleep. Yet they couldn’t disobey and let him do as he pleased. Juho had his arm around Jaeyoon’s sturdy shoulders. The prince had rested his head on the younger’s shoulder, listening to the calm heartbeats. 

“Thank you, Jju. And I’m sorry.” He silently said, as to not wake the rest of the family up. As he got no reaction, Jaeyoon thought that Juho had fallen asleep. “It’s my duty to protect you, your majesty.” The entire situation was surreal to Jaeyoon.

Juho had slowly opened up to him, showing him that he was more than a mistake. On top of that, Juho just killed someone he had known his entire life long- all because Jaeyoon couldn’t keep his mouth shut like he had initially promised him. And now he was back to shutting the prince out; Jaeyoon didn’t like it one bit. Instead of retorting something, he opted to keep silent. Soon, he fell asleep on the lanky male’s chest. 

Juho woke up to silent bickering. He had missed hearing his family’s banter, even if it was about him. He panicked when Jaeyoon wasn’t next to him but once he saw the young prince sit with his family, Juho relaxed. 

“No, sir. I killed that man.” Why would Jaeyoon take the blame for something Juho did? “It’s my fault that kid is dead. He tried attacking me. And your son just fulfilled his duty.” Jaeyoon could tell the man wanted to bite something out, but couldn’t. Times like these made Jaeyoon wish he wasn’t born into a high class family. He wanted people to be honest with him. “Your highness. We should leave soon, the carriage will be waiting in no time.” Juho stared his father straight into the eyes as he stiffly stood behind Jaeyoon. The brown colour of his orbs had faded into a greenish-purple shade. Jaeyoon still tried to figure out how the younger managed to do that. 

Despite all that happened in the past twenty four hours, despite all the unintentional jabs his parents had thrown at him, Juho had embraced each of them tightly. “Forgive me for all the sins I committed, for all the wrongs I did. I hope you know how much I love you.” Juho whispered to them - his mother cried. His brother glued himself against Juho’s torso, not ready to let his brother go. “Juho, no matter what everyone says- you are wonderful.” Jaeyoon didn’t know how but the young elf pulled up a genuine, warm smile. He gave his mother a last kiss, his father a last bow and his brother a last hug before he departed. 

Before they had reached the little hill where the coach would be waiting for them, Juho had erased his smile. He was looking into the distance, making sure Jaeyoon was close by. Jaeyoon wasn’t intending to cause the younger any more trouble, not intentionally anyway. 

The fairy saw how the coachmen crinkled their noses in disgust upon seeing Juho again and he scolded them. 

Once they were in the safety of the carriage, Jaeyoon let loose. "Juho, I want you to rest in my room." Upon being addressed, the elf's eyes widened with each word. "I can't do that." 

"You can. And you will. You can't be serious about sleeping in a space where you  _ know _ they'll end up killing you." Jaeyoon was upset. Just yesterday Juho had cried over the fact that the kingdom would kill him and now he was willingly throwing himself into the pit. Juho avoided Jaeyoon's eyes, again. "I should know my place, prince Jaeyoon." 

"Your place is next to me. No where else. You'll sleep in my quarters and that's an order, if it has to be."

By the time they had reached the castle again, the sun was up, although it was covered by clouds. Jaeyoon wanted to take a hot bath and just sleep. The image of Juho smiling so brightly while doing hard labour had etched itself into his mind. 

Juho looked tired. The young male hadn't slept all too much ever since he had been taken from his family. Even at night, he laid awake thinking of everything that would be inflicted on him. 

Jaeyoon had said that Juho wasn't allowed to leave his side, even at night. He had announced this to his family and the hosts. It had definitely earned him weirded out looks. 

The same evening, Jaeyoon was as always with his family in their respective study room while Juho was standing outside it at the door. The guards hadn't left him alone this time. "Father, mother. He saved my life. I'd have been dead and dismembered if he had not hesitated to protect me." 

Haewon had a dreamy look in her eyes, probably imagining what it would feel like being saved by the guard. "Jaeyoon, you disobeyed us and went to venture through the most impoverished part of the kingdom."

The prince rolled his eyes. "You sound exactly like Juho." His parents exchanged confused glances. "Who?"

At that, his sister piped up. "That's the guard's name. He told Yoonie not to go multiple times." Jaeyoon shot his sister a glare. His expression was telling her how  _ grateful _ he was for her help. His father was appalled. "You let a guard talk to you like that, Jaeyoon? A mere commoner at that?" 

The prince couldn't recognise his parents anymore. The usually open-minded and supportive people, the queen and king who have always supported impoverished fairies, were acting like Juho was commiting a crime. "He is very kind, indeed. And really respectful as well." 

"Besides" Jaeyoon said "it was you who taught us not to discriminate between classes." His mother shook her head. "But this is far more than being friendly with someone of our species, Jaeyoon. He's an elf. And a fairly despised one at that. In the end, you'll be the one left behind with a broken heart." They then had proceeded to tell his sister and him that they had been invited to the planned execution. His father informed Jaeyoon that he had tried to decline but the elves had apparently insisted. Jaeyoon’s heart was heavy.

Days had passed and neither Juho nor Jaeyoon slept well. Juho had obeyed and stayed in the prince’s chamber. He was sitting on the window sill, looking out into the darkness. The moonlight illuminated his features- highlighting each curve and shimmer. Jaeyoon admired the profile of the man. Juho's bleached hair was shining- the blue and purple strands became more evident. He had propped his long legs up, resting his arms top of his knees and his back against the frame. The cut across his cheek was a stark contrast against his ethereal appearance. Jaeyoon got up and carefully walked towards where Juho was sitting. It's clear that the younger was lost in thought, considering that he hadn't noticed Jaeyoon approach him. The prince had raised his hand to lay it onto the wound but Juho had snapped his hand around Jaeyoon's wrist, effectively stopping him from moving his arm. "The wound- it will get infected." Jaeyoon simply stated. Juho had released his grasp, apologising for his reckless action silently. Jaeyoon sat on the edge of the window sill, pressing his side against Juho's leg as his hand started to light up again. He rested his flat palm against Juho’s cheek. 

Though Juho wasn’t doing anything other than sitting there, Jaeyoon felt like he was in a trance. He unknowingly had scooted closer to the elf, mere inches away from his face. Juho watched him with hawkeyes, stripping Jaeyoon of any kind of sanity with his gaze. It was like Juho was staring right into the prince's soul, revealing every little secret he had kept to himself. Jaeyoon shuddered lightly, his hand still resting against Juho's cheek although the wound had long closed up. The prince did the only logical thing that came into his mind and thumbed a speck of glitter away before he scooted even closer. 

Panic took over Juho's entire body but he couldn't move. It was like the fairy had put him under a spell, one that made his brain cloudy and vision hazy. All he could see was the beautiful, unreal face of the prince in front of him. Those beautiful eyes, the door to one's soul, the way he scrunched up his nose when he laughed, how his dimples were ever so present and so deep, how his smile revealed the most perfect set of teeth he had ever encountered, the way the corner of his lips disappeared in his cheeks when he laughed, those oh so full lips- Juho's train of thought was completely interrupted when Jaeyoon had closed the gap he had gradually slimmed the past minutes. He had placed his hand on the back of Juho's neck, making sure that the elf couldn't pull away. 

Juho had never felt anything like this before. It was like fireworks were exploding, his heart was swelling and his stomach felt like it contained thousands of fluttering butterflies. Jaeyoon smiled against the chapped lips of the younger. He was inexperienced and it wasn't hard to tell by the way he clumsily tried to keep up. Despite that, it felt incredible. Jaeyoon felt like he was floating. 

He moved from the guards lips to his cheek and then jaw. He was about to litter the younger's neck with soft pecks but Juho had stopped him. It wasn't a hard push, no, it was a weak attempt to keep the prince away. Jaeyoon watched the elf with confusion. He couldn't help himself as he reached for Juho's hair- he pulled Jaeyoon in like a black hole swallowing anything close to its orbit. Juho tried to keep his feelings at bay, he tried to keep his thoughts as organised as possible but it proved to be hard just by the way Jaeyoon kept pulling him back in.

"Don't." and "We can't."'s left Juho's throat in whispers, drowned out by Jaeyoon's lips silencing him over and over again. Only once Jaeyoon was satisfied did he pull away ever so slightly. He rested his forehead against Juho's and closed his eyes. "I'm going to get you out of here." Jaeyoon didn't see the tears forming in Juho's eyes. Juho had never experienced any kind of affection or love other than the platonic one by his family. He was overwhelmed with the warmth it brought, with how it caused his head to spin. It was like his brain had short circuited, because he knew, he knew very well that he shouldn't have reciprocated it yet he hadn't found the power within himself to actually stop the prince. And when the prince promised him silently to get him away, to save him, he dared to believe him even if it was for just one day. 

Jaeyoon had fallen asleep shortly after. Juho carried him to his bed once he was sure the young royal was in a deep slumber. He tucked the prince in, his affectionate gaze lingering on the soundly sleeping male's face longer than necessary. Juho had slept well the first time in a while.

The guards made no secret of the upcoming execution. They were mocking him, even in the presence of their royal guests. Jaeyoon had learned to ignore them, just like Juho did. Jaeyoon had planned to make a run for it a day before the set date.

Jaeyoon had wanted the younger to share the bed with him ever since the night he had showed Juho what it felt like to be truly loved, to be appreciated. At first, Juho had been reluctant. The first two nights, he had scooted furthest away from Jaeyoon. The past ones, though, the prince had made sure he was spooned or at least resting his head against Jaeyoon's chest. Juho had long given up persuading Jaeyoon to not risk his life for someone like him. 

Jaeyoon had been reprimanded again by his family to not anger their hosts further but he didn't care. 

"We can bid your family good-bye before we leave." Jaeyoon had laid his head into Juho's lap, who in returning was playing with the prince's soft locks. "We will be passing by there, either way. I got it all confirmed- it's booked as your 'last' wish to say farewell to them. And from there, we will just make our way out through the forest-" 

At the sound of the door shutting, Juho pushed Jaeyoon off his lap and jumped up. His heart was racing and he could barely breathe. Jaeyoon was now sitting up straight, looking at the intruder with wide eyes. "Haewon; Don't you know what knocking is?" Jaeyoon rolled his eyes but Juho saw something flicker in her orbs. He was standing stiffly next to the couch. "Take me with you." She simply stated. Jaeyoon's mouth dropped open in shock. He quickly composed himself again. "Not sure what you're talking about." 

She scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Please. I'm not stupid. Unlike everyone else, I can read between the lines." 

At that, she smiled shyly at Juho. He quickly averted his gaze from the princess. Clearly, she misunderstood Juho’s shyness and Jaeyoon wanted to scream. “I don’t condone it, you know. I don’t want Juho to die, either.” She stepped closer to her brother. “I can be of help. Let me go with you.” 

Juho wanted to say something but he didn’t dare to. Even if Jaeyoon kept pushing him to make his opinion known, he only did it behind closed doors. “Jaeyoon-” The prince shook his head in disapproval. “Haewon, no. You will not. It’s too dangerous there. Besides, we will be back by dawn anyway. They won’t let him stay any longer.”   
“If it’s for him only, then why are you leaving too?” She snapped back, letting herself fall gently onto the free armchair. Juho bit the inside of his cheek, trying to refrain himself from talking back. “You think you’re so smart, Yoonie, but have you thought about what will happen afterwards? Or what they’ll do if they find out you’re planning to run away with someone of their screwed up nation? No offense Juho you don’t count.” She combed her fingers through her beautiful silky hair. “Besides. I know exactly when you’ll leave. You’re not the only one blessed with great hearing, dear brother.” 

Juho felt out of place. He excused himself and tried to leave the room but the siblings called his name out at the same time. "Don't leave." Although both had said the same thing, the sentence held a different meaning. Jaeyoon's unspoken  _ they’ll hurt you _ was hanging between the two. He slipped out of the door anyway. 

For the first time in Jaeyoon's life had his father raised his hand at him. The slap itself didn't hurt him, it was rather the betrayal he felt towards his sister. "I remember telling you to behave, no?" His usually calm father was yelling at him, the grip he had on Jaeyoon's arms was hurting him. "Don't you ever, Jaeyoon,  _ ever _ think of what your actions will result in?!" The king's eyes were clouded with fury as he shook Jaeyoon, hard. "What were you thinking! How could you even come to the conclusion that the idea you had was brilliant?!" 

The queen was holding his sister, protectively rubbing circles on her back. "Answer me, Jaeyoon! Because I seriously can not understand what went through your brain when you decided it was a good idea to try and run away with someone who's awaiting capital punishment. Tell me, or so be god my witness-" Jaeyoon interrupted his father's vicious yelling calmly. "Because I value him. He was ready to give his life for mine, twice." 

"Sweetheart, that's his  _ job _ . That's what he was  _ recruited _ for. And what did you want to do if you got caught? Give your life in return for his? Jaeyoon, he's  _ too poor _ to be considered a commoner! You're a  _ prince _ . You're going to take the throne over one day, please get a hold of yourself!" 

Jaeyoon was frustrated. He didn't want any of that if it meant that Juho's blood would be on his hands. He pushed his father's hands off him, taking a few steps back. He was too angry to fight, his throat felt like it was constricted anyway. 

His father had other plans, apparently. He pulled Jaeyoon back and pushed him down to sit on the couch, harshly. His sister flinched at the scene. "I've had enough of you disobeying me or your mother. You'll not leave your chambers, unless we are consuming meals and that, until we leave." 

Jaeyoon looked up into his father's eyes with angry, unspilled tears. "That should give you enough time to reevaluate what you did and what consequences this will have." 

His sister looked like she was going to say something but Jaeyoon just snapped at her. "Leave, I wish to  _ never _ see your face again." His eyes were unforgiving as his sister shamefully looked away. As soon as the door closed behind her, Jaeyoon heard it being locked. He was way too angry to realise what it meant for him. 

Juho, on the other hand, was outside. He was practicing as he was told that he wasn't needed for now. He was focusing on the target's black eye, completely turning out his surroundings. He waited for another second before he let go of the bowstring, sending the arrow straight into the bull's eye. Juho had just lowered his arch, reaching for yet another one. Then, in lightspeed, he had turned around with his bowstring on tension. When he saw the guards walking towards him he lowered his weapon and stored it away, assuming they came to fetch him to go back to Jaeyoon. 

"Finally, I've been meaning to do this the whole time you dirty bitch were wandering around." One of them said before they hooked their arms through Juho's and lifted him with ease. He was embarrassed for being overthrown so easily. Juho struggled against the grip the two men had on him, to no avail. "Let me go! I didn't do  _ anything- _ " The snort of both men let the sentence die in his throat. That's right, he didn't have to do anything other than breathe next to them. Juho had been thrown into a cell with ease, landing with a hard thud on the dirty, cold ground. 

Hands were all over his body and Juho tried fighting back as best as he could but he was pushed face first into the dungeon's wall. Within seconds, they had stripped him off his uniform and thrown the thin clothes he had left onto the ground. "Know your fucking place." One of them spit as each of them took turns on kicking and beating him, still pressed against the wall, up. Juho heard the lock turn as he picked the thin, itchy fabric up from the ground to put them on. 

"It was too good to be true." He whispered to no one but himself, sliding his back against the cold stone until he reached a crouching position. It was dark and cold and all of a sudden, he missed the annoying prince's presence. He hadn't noticed how the male had grown on him the past days,  _ expertly  _ ignoring the breathtaking first kiss he had with him. Juho rubbed his arms up and down, in an attempt to warm himself. He gave up, not only on warming his freezing body but also on fighting to live. He accepted his fate and would go with dignity. "But I'm  _ so _ scared." The exclamation was barely audible, not that anyone was there to hear it anyway. 

He buried his face in his hands, digging his fingers into his eyes in an attempt to calm his nerves. 

Although it had been just a few hours, Jaeyoon felt like he had been locked in for days. He wondered what they did to Juho. His mind wouldn’t let go of the worst case and Jaeyoon shuddered at the thought alone. He had to get out and find the elf before anything could happen. They didn’t have much time left and he couldn’t sit around and sulk. Sudden determination overwhelmed Jaeyoon as he sprung up and started hammering against the door. Only god knew how much he wanted to get out so he did the best thing he could: be annoying. Jaeyoon didn’t stop plummeting and kicking the door until someone finally unlocked it. Before anyone could stop him, he dashed down the hallway. The fairy heard the heavy armor of the guards clink behind him as they rushed after him. “Where are the wings when you need them the most” Jaeyoon bitterly mumbled as he practically fell down the winded stairs to where he assumed Juho to be. The prince had never run so fast in his life before. Jaeyoon pushed the heavy door to the oubliette close, barricading the lock with anything he could find. 

He still hadn’t grown them. Jaeyoon once had asked his lecturer why he was still wingless and the old man had explained him that the growth was triggered by special occurrences- such traumatic experiences, loss of someone very dear or finding the partner of life. At this rate, Jaeyoon was sure he’d go down as the prince who never had wings to fly. 

“Juho?” Jaeyoon heard someone shuffle close by. It was dark, barely illuminated. “Jaeyoon?” Said man saw thin fingers peeking out of the bars before they circled them. Jaeyoon kneeled down so he was on the same level as Juho. “My god, what have they done to you? It’s been mere hours, Juho.” The prince reached through the grids, resting his fingers against Juho’s cold cheek.The low light was enough to highlight the several wounds the younger had gotten inflicted. “You’re going to get into trouble, what are you doing here?” 

Jaeyoon let out a sad laugh. Even now, even in his current state, was Juho worrying more about the fairy than himself. “It doesn’t matter. Juho, I’m so sorry.” There was a tiny smile on the elf’s face. “Listen, get your family and leave.” Jaeyoon was confused. “They want to start war, Jaeyoon. And the General told me that the sole reason for me to be here was to mess it up- which I surprisingly didn’t. You were supposed to get hurt the very first day so they could blame it on me but it didn’t work out either. But then they found out about the problem we encountered when we visited my parents. Jaeyoon, please. You have to leave before it escalates.” Juho had nestled his cheek against his fingers. The fairy was still trying to comprehend what the male had just told him. “How do you-Why did he tell you?”    
The small smile never left his face. “Because no one expected you to come here.” Jaeyoon’s lips quivered. He pulled Juho’s face closer to the bars, now desperately cradling his cheeks. Juho had circled his fingers around Jaeyoon’s wrists. “I wanted to go in dignity but I just can’t let you get hurt.” He let out a tiny laugh which got swallowed by the repeated banging against the heavy doors. “Underneath the staircase is a small path that leads out of here.” This time, Juho reached out and wiped the tears off Jaeyoon’s face. “Why are you still helping my family despite knowing they’re the reason you’re here?” He just couldn’t grasp it. It made no sense to him. Juho looked away for a while but the second they locked their gazes again, Jaeyoon saw warmth. Affection. “Because you were the first one to show me what it could feel like- like being loved. Because I like you.” Then, Juho let go and peeled Jaeyoon’s hands off his face. “Go, before they catch you.” He didn’t want to hear what the royal had to say. Instead, he pushed him further from the cell. 

Jaeyoon’s mind was restless, his legs moved on their own as he followed Juho’s instructions. In the distance, he heard the door being broken and silent grunts. In this moment, he wished he wouldn’t have inherited a hearing as good as his. He was sweating and his lungs started to hurt while he ran as fast as he could to where his parents were residing in. The adrenaline rush he was feeling made him forget about his manners, or punishment his father had bestowed upon him. He ripped the door to their quarters open and made both look up in shock. “How did you-” Jaeyoon cut his mother off. “That doesn’t matter. We need to leave. Right now-” Jaeyoon frantically searched the room for the most necessary belongings. “Jaeyoon, what in god’s name is up with you!” His father had stood up. “Father, we have no time. They planned this all along. Juho’s death, the attacks, the general trying to slice me up-” His father raised a hand. “Hold on, what do you mean by the general trying to slice you up?” 

Jaeyoon stared at his father in disbelief until he remembered that he never had told him. “Right. Never told you. Yeah, anyway. The General was beating  _ my _ Juho up and I told him to stop so he swung his sword at me but Juho took the cut and it still didn’t heal.” He rambled off as he wandered around the room. “And when were you ought to tell us this?”    
Jaeyoon stared at his father for a second before he continued stalking up and down. “Didn’t matter. Where’s Haewon, that little traitor?” The queen let out a shocked sound. “Jaeyoon, she’s your sister.” 

Despite the initial doubt, his family had packed what they needed and announced their departure at dinner. It wasn’t taken well but the fairy king announced that a sudden emergency had arisen in the kingdom. Jaeyoon barely touched his food, his mind kept wandering to the elf whose faith had been set as a scapegoat for everything that went down. Jaeyoon felt sick. His sister tried talking to him but Jaeyoon avoided her. He didn’t know if he could ever forgive her for ratting out his plan- for being the cause of Juho’s upcoming death. 

Something inside Jaeyoon snapped and he couldn’t handle the pain anymore upon seeing one of the solider’s walk down the hallway towards the back of the castle with Juho’s limp body thrown over his shoulder like he was nothing but trash that was being taken out. Jaeyoon’s heart ached as he watched the body being carried away. Juho hadn’t lasted even a day with whatever they put him through. He couldn’t move, his legs felt heavy. As if someone had glued his feet to the ground. He didn’t know how he had gotten into their carriage. All he felt was the crippling pain and sadness shooting through his body, ripping every little cell of his apart slowly. The ride back was horrible for him. Jaeyoon just watched the scenery pass in silence. He didn’t notice how either of his parents watched him in worry or how his father had kept checking the coach behind them every few hours during their breaks. 

Jaeyoon’s back hurt but he didn’t care, even if it felt like he was being ripped apart. “You might want to see this, my dear child.” His mother lead him out of the coach. It wasn’t hard to do so, considering that Jaeyoon had felt nothing but pain the past hour. Pain, that made him numb. He couldn’t stop thinking about how Juho’s last action was to save him, again. 

  
Jaeyoon couldn’t believe his eyes. There was a body lying in the other coach. He stepped closer so he could take good look through the window. Jaeyoon’s heart skipped a beat upon realising who exactly was lying there. He didn’t even hear his father’s explanation- Jaeyoon just ripped the door open and jumped into the carriage. He lifted Juho's head up and rested it on his lap. "How?" Was all Jaeyoon could ask. "After you told us what really happened, we found one of the other commoners who were recruited alongside him. He was in a pretty bad state but thanks to the young elf, it was possible for us to get him out of there. I know he means weirdly enough a lot to you, Jaeyoon, but I just couldn't forget the good deed he has done for us. Also, we had to repent for the mistake we and your sister did." Jaeyoon listened as he laid his hand on Juho's neck, trying to feel anything akin to a pulse. At the mention of his sister, he stiffened ever so slightly. She had told their parents about Jaeyoon's plan, all in the presence of the elf royals. It had resulted in Juho being thrown into a cell and Jaeyoon locked in his room. 

Without another word, Jaeyoon slammed the carriage door shut, signaling his family that he didn't want to talk to them yet. He doubted he'd forgive them for what they put them,  _ Juho _ , through.

Jaeyoon didn't know if Juho was unconscious or just sleeping- either way, he draped his coat over Juho's thin, battered frame. Almost unwittingly the hand lying on the young elf’s body lit up. His own back was aching but he did pay no attention to that- instead, he focused on letting the opaque flame suck out the pain of the younger’s body. He could feel the torture they put him through in just one day- he stopped for a moment, his hand was shaking too much. He wanted to cry but held himself together. Even if he couldn’t take all of Juho’s pain away, the least he could do was be the strong one for once. 

It had taken the young elf just about two weeks to access is heart and four to make it impossible for Jaeyoon to live without the other’s presence. 

Thinking back, he now realised how absurd the entire situation was. It all came down to the first day, to where he didn’t want him to guard his sister. All based on assumptions which proved all to be wrong. He let out a small laugh, raking his unoccupied hand through Juho’s hair, pushing the strands out of his eyes. They were sticking to his skin by the blood that had dried on them. Jaeyoon was still angry, angry that his family waited so long to finally understand what Juho had sacrificed for them. He didn’t have to, no other guard did. The prince didn’t have to ask, he knew they’d get his family for ratting out the plan of the elves. They probably were already murdered. Jaeyoon should be happy, happy that he could be with the person he liked but his heart was heavy at the same time. He wished he wasn’t raised with a kind heart. 

“ _ Because I like you. _ ” echoed through Jaeyoon’s mind and his cheeks slowly turned scarlett the more he thought about it. Juho stirred ever so slightly, enough to let Jaeyoon snap back to present. He wasn't awake, but let out tiny whimpers. Juho looked  _ so _ small in that moment, with the way he was curled up, his head resting on Jaeyoon's legs.  _ Because I like you _ . 

Jaeyoon's gaze turned warm as he soothingly continued threading his fingers through the elf's hair. "I like you too." He whispered, knowing very well that Juho didn't hear him. 

He'd have to show him from now on with every action he took. 

**Author's Note:**

> did u make it until the end... I'm sorry this turned out longer than I intended.  
> literally had this in my drafts since last year may (ha ha) and I kept rewriting the end so I hope it's okay the way it is.
> 
> as always feedback and kudos are welcome ;;;
> 
> also if you want to stay anon and give feedback feel free to drop by my cc ;;  
> https://curiouscat.me/jihuwun


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